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Stomach Flu Duration
In cases of stomach flu, duration of the illness depends on the type of virus infecting a person. For example, with norovirus, the stomach flu duration is normally 1 to 2 days. When the stomach flu is the result of a rotavirus infection, duration of the illness is usually 3 to 9 days.
The stomach flu duration will depend on the virus a person is infected with (see Types of Stomach Flu Viruses). In general, the stomach flu duration is anywhere from 1 to 10 days.
Rotavirus is the most common cause of diarrhea in infants and young children. The watery diarrhea can be mild to severe. The stomach flu duration for a rotavirus infection is generally 3 to 9 days.
Severe diarrhea from rotavirus gastroenteritis can lead to a dangerous depletion of body fluids called dehydration, which can result in death if untreated. Virtually all children become infected with rotavirus in the first 3 to 5 years of life, but severe diarrhea and dehydration occur mainly among children aged 3 months to 35 months.
Noroviruses (including Norwalk virus) account for approximately 50 percent of all stomach flu cases caused by contaminated food. The stomach flu duration for a norovirus infection is normally 1 to 2 days. Norovirus gastroenteritis is usually not serious, although people may feel very sick and vomit many times a day.
Written by/reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD